


Marked.  1/1.

by punky_96



Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: F/F, Marking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-03 23:01:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14006733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punky_96/pseuds/punky_96
Summary: Re-post from LJ.Andy met Miranda while life guarding on the lake when the twins were tots.Spoilers/Content Notes: under age character attracted to older character, no kissing or sex until the character is 20.





	Marked.  1/1.

**Title:**  Marked  
 **Fandom:**  The Devil Wears Prada  
 **Characters:**  Andy/Miranda  
 **Prompt** : KB: possession/marking, virginity/celibacy, age play  
 **Word Count** : 4025  
 **Rating** : R  
 **Summary** : A different backstory with the promise of a different future. What if Andy had met Miranda during summer’s life guarding at a lake when the twins were little? The happy ending is there but the focus is on the early angst and hopefully beauty between them that was lost.  
  
 **Author’s Notes** : Please pretend that this is a bug-free lake or a bug-free moment, or perhaps that all the bugs are busy elsewhere…  
 **Author’s Notes, Too** : This is a more subdued approach to the kink inspired by the kink wiki definition page, the poem I found there, and my need to always find a different way to do something.  
  
 **Content Notes** : contains under age character having attraction not acted on until age 20.  
  
 **Timeline notes** : Given the film year of 2006 and Andy’s age of 26, then in 1996 Andy is 16, then 1998 she’s 18, and by 2000 Andy is 20. Adjust Miranda’s age and the twins on the same scale.  
  
 **Poem that started it all:**  
  
Michael Ondaatje:  
  
The Cinnamon Peeler  
  
If I were a cinnamon peeler  
I would ride your bed  
and leave the yellow bark dust  
on your pillow.  
  
Your breasts and shoulders would reek  
you could never walk through markets  
without the profession of my fingers  
floating over you. The blind would  
stumble certain of whom they approached  
though you might bathe  
under rain gutters, monsoon.  
  
Here on the upper thigh  
at this smooth pasture  
neighbor to your hair  
or the crease  
that cuts your back. This ankle.  
You will be known among strangers  
as the cinnamon peeler's wife.  
  
I could hardly glance at you  
before marriage  
never touch you  
\-- your keen nosed mother, your rough brothers.  
I buried my hands  
in saffron, disguised them  
over smoking tar,  
helped the honey gatherers...  
  
When we swam once  
I touched you in water  
and our bodies remained free,  
you could hold me and be blind of smell.  
You climbed the bank and said  
  
this is how you touch other women  
the grasscutter's wife, the lime burner's daughter.  
And you searched your arms  
for the missing perfume.  
and knew  
what good is it  
to be the lime burner's daughter  
left with no trace  
as if not spoken to in an act of love  
as if wounded without the pleasure of scar.  
  
You touched  
your belly to my hands  
in the dry air and said  
I am the cinnamon  
peeler's wife. Smell me.  
  
  
  
 _ **Marked. 1/1.**_  
  
  
 **2000—The death of summer**  
  
The lake water glistened in the sun. Andy couldn’t deny the calm that it was forcing on her. She had always loved the water—any water, though lake water was the easiest to come by for a Midwest girl. The sparkles against the gently undulating water used to bring her joy. Diving from the raft or the lifeguard chair had brought her nothing but pride and pleasure for the last four years. Playing at the water’s edge, laying out on the sun warmed sand, or slipping into the water like a second skin—Andy lived for the summer’s retreat. Away from her parents, away from her small-minded friends, and out in the sun and the water that she loved more than anything.  
  
Andy sought out the comfort of the water to increase ecstasy as well as soothe her soul.  
  
Bangs in her face, tattered hooded sweatshirt hugging her body, and cut off jeans speaking of comfort—Andy sat—her knees curled up against her body and arms holding tightly to herself. She did not rock, but the raft below her did. She did not cry, but she wished she could.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
 **1996—A summer life-guard is born**  
  
Andy stepped onto the beach, toes wriggling the sand between them. Her red one-piece suit hugged her body and the lycra still shone. She knew by the end of the summer it would be worn and fuzzy. Looking down at her arms she knew they would be tan and with any luck she’d find the time to not have tan lines. There were secluded beaches if you knew where to look.  
  
Turning Andy saw a beautiful tall woman with salt and pepper hair. Despite the crying infant on each hip her aristocratic features dared Andy to not notice them. Blue eyes corn blue like the sky, focused on her like lasers as she approached. The muscles in the woman’s calves flexed as she stepped forward and Andy felt all the air leave her lungs. Her second look up and down the beautiful woman’s body was interrupted as a crying infant was thrust into her arms.  
  
Reaching out on reflex Andy took the small child into her arms, only finding her words to protest once the infant was nestled against her like one of her second cousins. “But—”  
  
Those blue eyes bore into her. “You are a lifeguard, aren’t you?”  
  
Dumbfounded Andy nodded. The salt and pepper haired woman brushed past her still crying infant on her hip. She did not hesitate as her toes touched the cold water and then her knees and then her hips. Only when she was half submerged did she stop. Mesmerized by the view going just as much as the by the view coming, Andy stood completely gobsmacked. The infant in her arms had settled and simply gurgled as little ones often do. As Andy watched the woman cooed and gently dipped her child in the water. Her laughter at the little one’s happy reactions ran through Andy’s body doing strange things to her mind. After several moments the woman pulled her baby to her and slowly turned. Her eyebrow raise and significant look forced Andy to stumble forward.  
  
Andy could not simply stride into the water and the little one clung onto her pulling at her swimsuit strap and hair as she tip toed further and further into the water. At an impatient huff from the woman, Andy gave a weak smile and holding the infant up in an exaggerated movement she dipped her knees soaking herself and taking the edge off a bit. Standing she was glad that the youngster covered one of her rock hard nipples from view. The infant simply burbled some more and then cooed contentedly as Andy approached the mother.  
  
“She’s not crying.” The salt and pepper beauty observed in a slight voice of awe. It was barely there but Andy noticed the tremor of a frustrated mother who just wants the best for her babies.  
  
Andy stroked the pale skin splashing lake water up onto the little girl. She squirmed in Andy’s arms but her sounds veered drastically up toward ecstatic. Focused on the baby in Andy’s arms and the one in her own, Andy was momentarily forgotten. She could look her fill and Andy found it was not enough.  
  
She supposed this was what it was then—attraction. She had never really understood it before. Her friends had all had crushes or gone gaga for a celebrity. It all seemed silly nonsense to Andy, until now. She thought about her brother confiding in her how hard it was to be a boy during puberty and she thought she finally understood. The image in her mind of an extremely embarrassed old brother made her smile.  
  
The woman stood and offered to switch children with Andy. She dipped this calmer one in the water as she had done the first child. Both seemed to glow with the sheer happiness the water gave them. Andy wondered if that was how she was as an infant. The new child curled against Andy chewing on an escaped lock of hair.  
  
Not much was said but they stayed this way holding, exchanging, and dipping children in the water. Andy reveled in the occasional fleeting touches of the woman’s warm skin against hers. Idly she thought that beauty was like sunlight and it tingled on your skin.  
  
The other life-guard eventually came over and told Andy to take the chair on the raft.  
  
Salt and pepper, for Andy had no name for this woman or her babies, moved swiftly from the water. Andy would have been sad, but she was too busy watching the water drip from exposed tanned skin down over the swimsuit covered curves of beautiful ass. Andy followed suit thankful once again she didn’t have to suffer the same fate as boys. She just hoped that she wasn’t blushing too badly.  
  
Taking the infant back to her side, salt and pepper smiled at Andy, “Thank you. They’ve never settled for anyone like that before.” At Andy’s wide smile the woman looked away and Andy saw the faintest pink hue on her cheeks. Then taking a breath the woman added, “They love the water though.”  
  
The shrill of the whistle forced Andy to turn. She groaned when the other life-guard waved her arm in a ‘come here now’ gesture. When Andy had turned back, salt and pepper was striding away and back to the path to the lakeside cabins. Andy sighed, sad to see her go. Then with a huge shit-eating smile she jogged over to the other life-guard thinking, “First day as a life guard—totally fucking hot. This is so going to rock.”  
  
*** *** ***  
  
 **1998—Slow build**  
  
The girls were two now and they, like Andy, seemed to live for the summer away at the lake. Miriam was just as beautiful as ever as her girls grew, her hair silvered, and her laughter came easy in Andy’s good company. Even now they did not talk much, but it seemed that theirs was a friendship that didn’t need the sugar coating of small talk. They basked in the presence of the other while enjoying the sun, the water, and the joy of the toddlers. The red heads had everyone around their finger and they all loved it. The girls loved the attention, the victims of their charms loved how delightful they were, and Miriam and Andy loved that this quietude between them could rest undisturbed between them.  
  
Never was there more than accidental touch.  
  
Never was there any word of affection spoken.  
  
It didn’t matter.  
  
Andy’s parents had come for their yearly visit to Andy’s escape.  
  
They had eyes.  
  
And they had mouths.  
  
And they had a hold on their daughter that would shake Andy, Miriam, and those two little darlings.  
  
“You mustn’t be like that with that woman.” Her mother pleaded that night after a strained dinner.  
  
Blinking her eyes hard and shaking her head as if to focus it, Andy countered, “What?”  
  
“You don’t know the kind of woman she is. You don’t know what she does to people.” Her mother had hissed and her father had crossed his arms and looked down at his youngest.  
  
There were still three weeks left of the summer and her parents vowed to return the next week. They said they would know if Andy had stayed away from that horrible woman. They said that they would recognize that woman’s mark on their daughter. From the fire and brimstone in their eyes, Andy believed it. She also believed that she still had to go back home for another year before going off to college. They were her parents. They knew what was best for her. They wanted what was best for her.  
  
All that was said between Miriam and Andy passed in a moment, “They don’t like me.”  
  
The words hurt Andy’s heart. “They said you would mark me.” Andy shrugged tears in her eyes. “I don’t understand.”  
  
Reaching out and then thinking better of it, Miriam whispered, “I do.” Her tears took Andy’s breath away.  
  
Then the summer was gone and along with it silver and red hair and red life-guard swim suits.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Andy found Nate when she returned home. He didn’t make her lose her words and he didn’t make her double take at what he was covering his body with, but he was fun and easy going. Andy could feel everyone around her relax. Times were changing, but it was a slow wind blowing. Summer could not come soon enough, but before she knew it, it had come and gone and was approaching again.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
 **2000—Marked**  
  
Determined to enjoy every moment of the summer, Andy shook off the previous year’s distance and embraced every waking moment she could get around Miriam and her daughters. The previous summer they had built on their friendship, but there was always an element of polite distance. Miriam not wanting to cause Andy trouble, and Andy still bothered by her parent’s ominous warnings.  
  
Knowing Chicago was on the horizon and the days of her care-free summer life on the lake were running out, Andy set out to make up for lost time.  
  
Miranda welcomed her with symbolic open arms. Andy felt cared for in their embrace although they did not touch.  
  
The girls, now four years old, had a nanny. Much of their time together was spent alone on the lake. Sunning side by side in the sand, reading in Adirondack chairs, or swimming to small islands or the various rafts on the lake. They avoided seclusion, although they were clearly in a private bubble.  
  
One afternoon before Andy’s life-guard shift, Miriam leaned close and with searching eyes asked simply, “Swim with me tonight?”  
  
Unable to speak, Andy simply nodded. She wondered if the woman would always take her breath away as she had on the very first day they had met four years before. She wondered if Miriam even knew. She recalled their enigmatic and slightly tearful conversation after her parent’s visit so long before and knew that Miriam felt it.  
  
When Andy blew the whistle the evening life-guard took over. She saw Miriam enter the lake just beyond the buoyed swimming area and head right. Andy dove from the platform swimming in strong strokes to catch up to her enigmatic partner.  
  
The dusk shielded them and time over looked them.  
  
Treading water, blue eyes sparkled as they looked into dark brown. “This is your last summer.” Miriam hovered closer to Andy. No answer was needed. Taking Andy’s hand for the first time just for the sake of touching, Miriam quietly added, “Let’s go closer. I want to stand.”  
  
Their bodies ebbed and flowed against each other as they stood in the water. Andy wanted desperately to do more, to say more, anything more with Miriam, but she dared not break the moment.  
  
Miriam lifted her hand and touched Andy’s face and hair looking at her as if memorizing. Letting herself enjoy this feeling, Andy brought her hand up to mirror the actions. It was a delight to finally touch the beautiful woman in front of her. To have the permission to do so had Andy’s heart racing.  
  
A gentle sigh escaped Miriam’s lips and Andy shivered at the note of hunger she detected in it.  
  
They reached to hold hands at the same time, but when that wasn’t enough they wrapped their arm around each other’s waist or back. Touching wet forbidden skin and barely concealing their reactions to the thrill.  
  
“You are beautiful, Andy. Your heart is amazing.” Miriam looked as though she wished to say more, but bit her lip instead.  
  
“You take my breath away, Miriam.” Andy bravely cupped Miranda’s cheek not knowing the steps, but feeling that this was right. “You hide your tenderness though you are so sweet.”  
  
Miriam’s lips pressed against hers stopped any further reflection or conversation. Years of attraction coalesced in a ball of energy within them, around them, and radiating out from them. They could not have kept their secret long had any eyes been wandering by, but their beach was theirs alone.  
  
Turning, stepping, touching at last they were ankle deep in the water, crashing into each other. Their lips only separated when they must and gathering breaths they wandered revealed skin as swim suits were pushed aside and down. They did not seek the shore, nor did they lose their suits entirely. It was as if they had written rules for just such an occasion and agreed to them long ago. Perhaps they had. It was possible that this was destined from that very first awestruck meeting.  
  
Andy lost herself to sensation letting her hands roam and follow Miriam’s lead as her body sang a song it had never heard before. Her short breathing, flexing muscles, and shudders of desire took Andy completely by surprise. The pain mixed with the pleasure as Miranda bit down on her shoulder and entered her with steady fingers. Andy gripped Miriam’s back pulling her harder against her body. Andy didn’t know whether to close her legs or open them. She fumbled to reach between Miriam’s legs and copy her there. When Andy went rigid and then collapsed against her, Miriam, cooed into her ear and held her.  
  
Regaining strength Andy expressed her thankfulness in a kiss. Dusk was darkening around them and time was passing them by, but passion was renewed, and joys just found would last until the moon rose. Aware now of each touch and reaction, Andy used her knew knowledge and old longing to express herself from lips to fingertips. Finding a rhythm that had Miriam rocking against her Andy shuddered with pleasure of her own at the feel of this wonderful woman in her arms. Wanting Andrea to come with her, Miriam reached between her legs stroking her into the same frenzy she was in in no time.  
  
As much as they might want to stay like this forever, the night was steadily marching on. The moon shone brightly over them as they slowly recovered, slipped back into their suits, and then with a gentle kiss swam back to the buoyed area.  
  
Before leaving the water, Miriam pulled Andy’s hand back to her. “Don’t be sad to leave. It is our last summer here as well.” Kissing Andy soundly on the mouth until they were both breathless, Miriam walked away into the night.  
  
Gathering her clothes from her locker, Andy relived the night over and over in her head, heart, and body. She focused on the positive. Her whole world had changed just with the kiss, but her body wrapped around Miriam’s as they each cried out their pleasure to the stars, had changed her universe. Miranda’s departing line didn’t make sense to her and so she forgot about it.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
With the dawn came clarity.  
  
The red-headed twins were nowhere to be insight. There was no answer at Miriam’s door. The neighbor gave her a disapproving look, but shouted that a car had left before the dawn.  
  
The magic carpet ripped right out from under her, Andy had sought refuge at the water’s edge. It both comforted and saddened her.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
*** *** ***  
  
 **2006—Trying to get a foot in the door**  
  
The red head had already laughed at her, which made Andy want to turn around and leave town even more than the last two job rejections. The deranged woman had made a personal attack, instead of the usual brush off of we’ll call you if something opens up, or even the slightly less painful ‘you just don’t have the skills yet.’ The red head was walking away and telling her tale of woe while Andy followed her down the hallway. “Well, I am trying. Miranda sacked the last two girls after only a few weeks. We need to find someone who can survive here. Do you understand?”  
  
Andy nodded then realized that she needed to speak up. “Yeah, of course.” They moved around a woman bustling up the hallway in the opposite direction. Then she asked the follow up question. “Who’s Miranda?”  
  
Emily spared a glance back at her, but didn’t stop moving. Her hands reflected the horror in her voice. “Oh my god. I will pretend that you did not just ask me that.” Emily heaved a sigh of disgust that made Andy cringe. She didn’t know if she even WANTED to work here. Emily elaborated at least distracting Andy from her self-defeating thoughts. “She’s the editor-in-chief of Runway. Not to mention a legend. You work a year for her and you can work at any magazine you want. A million girls would kill for this job.”  
  
Finally seeing a bright spark from a dark grey storm cloud Andy jumped on the kernel of positivity. “It sounds like a great opportunity. I’d love to be considered.”  
  
Andy wondered if Emily was having a bad day, or was just a bitch as her earnest statement was met with an evil derisive chuckle. “Andrea, Runway is a fashion magazine. So an interest in fashion is crucial.”  
  
Knowing she was fighting a losing battle on Emily’s home court, Andy’s self defense was hallow even in her own mind. “What makes you think I’m not interested in fashion?”  
  
Before Emily can answer the phone rings. It’s just as well because she would have no doubt said something truly awful. Emily taps on the keypad and announces Miranda’s arrival. Panic breaks loose in the office as everyone scrambles to tidy up their work, their appearance, and to hide food items and comfortable shoes. Andy watched appalled all over again.  
  
Emily charged off down the hall and came back following a silver haired woman firing rapid fire instructions at her from behind dark glasses. The woman slipped off her jacket carelessly letting it fall into Emily’s waiting hands, she practically threw the purse at Emily as she saw the brunette. Not saying anything she carried on into her office slipping her dark glasses off her face and holding onto them. Emily pattered after her giving her the morning’s updates. Andy struck dumb at the sight stands in the open area outside Miranda’s office.  
  
“Who is that?” It took a while, but Miranda finally had the strength to ask. She wasn’t sure if she could keep the tremor out of her voice. She was also not sure what Andy’s presence meant in her office. ‘A plant,’ Miranda considered thinking of Irv. But then having seen the look of wonder on the girl’s face, ‘the woman’s face’ she chastised herself, she rejected that idea. Her Andy with the big heart, calm ways, and youthful beauty would never do that to her.  
  
Miranda only caught the gist of what Emily was saying, but it was clear what she thought from her body language. Miranda forced herself to focus on the red head. “Nobody.” Seeing Miranda’s look, Emily quickly added, “Well, Human Resources sent her up about the, uh, new assistant job. I was sort of pre-interviewing her for you. She’s hopeless and entirely wrong—”  
  
Knowing it was the easiest way to speak to the brunette and put Emily in her place, Miranda sighed and contradicted her dismissal. “Well, clearly I’m going to have to do that myself because the last two you sent me were completely inadequate so… Send her in. That’s all.”  
  
Miranda went around her desk to keep from gathering up the brunette in her arms. She leaned forward as Andy walked in and whispered, “Resume.” Her blue eyes held Andy’s brown ones as she approached the desk.  
  
The surface conversation went the way of a bad interview getting worse by the moment. However the whispers from Miranda when she was looking down told Andy all she needed to know. “I will dismiss you and call you back.” Miranda proceeded to rake Andy over the coals for not having any fashion sense or having heard of Miranda. Andy wasn’t sure whether to cry or laugh. She fought back a bit, but as that bald man came in Andy took her leave.  
  
More confused than ever, Andy hadn’t even made it past security when the red head called her back.  
  
This time Miranda walked with Andy to the elevator where they rode down four floors. Andy’s hand tingled with the desire to reach for Miranda’s. She fought against the urge, but couldn’t contain her smile when Miranda reached for her hand. “You didn’t know, did you?” Miranda asked quietly about Andy’s arrival in the halls of Runway.  
  
Sighing Andy squeezed Miranda’s hand and shook her head. “I didn’t know.”  
  
Winking at the brunette, Miranda quipped, “You look better in your swimsuit.”  
  
Refusing to back down, Andy bit back, “You look better naked in the moonlight.”  
  
Miranda gasped in shock and then chuckled low with arousal. “I cannot have you as my assistant, Andy.”  
  
“So where are we going?” Andy pointed at the elevator door that was opening. “My friend, Mitchell, is starting Men’s Runway and needs an assistant.” Miranda tugged Andy forward out of the elevator, “As for the rest, we will have to see, Andy.”  
  
Pulling Miranda back to her, Andy asked, “I liked how you said my name up there. Andrea.” She let go of Miranda’s hand, “If I’m to call you Miranda, then you should call me Andrea. We start over.”  
  
Tilting her head, Miranda looked her up and down. “Fresh.”  
  
“No.” Andy disagreed. “My parents were right.” Miranda stepped away then, fearing the worst. “You marked me. Sure you had me in the water, where there was no evidence left, but you marked my soul all the same.”  
  
Closing her eyes and swallowing a lump in her throat that she couldn’t stop, Miranda stepped closer once more. “You marked me the same.” Miranda caressed the cheek she had so often longed for, but never dared hope for. “I wanted you to be mine.” Miranda whispered.  
  
“I am.” Andy promised back.  
  
Whistling preceeded the man as he rounded the corner to find them standing unusually close. Unusual for Miranda, but nothing worth asking about. “Ah, there you are.” He said looking at the pair of them. “I heard you are going to be the perfect assistant.” The man turned a charming smile on Andy and extended his hand. “Mitchell Abernathy.”  
  
Andrea felt the change in herself in that instant as she shook his hand. “Andrea Sachs.” She said smiling. She had a job, she was in New York, and she was near Miranda with a promise of more. Suddenly being marked felt glorious all over again.  
  
Mitchell turned to greet Miranda with a smile and a nod. “Thank you.” He stepped close and placed a kiss on Miranda’s cheek and then the other. “She’ll be great here.” He said dismissing the silver haired editor far too soon for either woman’s pleasure.  
  
Sharing one final glance acknowledging the connection that had always been between them, Miranda turned and walked away.  
  
  
 **The End.**  
  
.


End file.
